The league has quirky rules—especially in the kicking game and extra-point phases—and other parts of the game that slightly vary from the NFL version. Here are just a few of the noticeable rules differences:
XFL has a 25-second play clock, whereas the NFL has a 40-second play clock, which speeds up the XFL actionXFL receivers need to get just one foot in bounds for a catch instead of twoThere are no extra-point kicks in the XFL, but rather options for 1-, 2- or 3-point conversions from the 2-, 5- and 10-yard lines, respectivelyThe XFL allows all skill players to have audio inside their helmet to hear instructions from their coach, where the NFL only allows the quarterback to have it
And when a kicker misses a field goal, the sideline reporter is not afraid to ask the kicker about it during an in-game interview.
NFL defensive star J.J. Watt quickly pointed that out Saturday afternoon.
“Just turned on the XFL,” Watt tweeted. “Kicker missed a field goal and they immediately interviewed him on the sideline asking what happened haha. … That’s tough.”
During the ABC broadcast, it showed the spread and over/under of the game on the screen where it displayed the team’s scores. For example, it showed a (-9.5) next to the D.C. logo and O/U 51.5 on the side. The broadcasters made note of it. And for the gamblers, the Defenders covered the spread with a 31-19 win, but those who bet the over lost. The late afternoon broadcast on Fox did not show the spread or the over/under.
The cameras during the early broadcast played audio of the coaches calling plays, and longtime football coaches like Seattle’s Jim Zorn still covered their mouth with the play sheet. Twitter quickly pointed that out as well.
Fans are still adjusting to some of the rules variances they are used to seeing in the NFL, like big hits not getting flagged and the way teams line up to kickoff.
Here are some tweets from fans who have already shown they will probably enjoy the league.
This fan particularly likes the kickoff formation. “Vince McMahon and the XFL might be on to something here. The kicker is at the 35-yard line, but the kickoff team is at the opposing 35 yard-line and can’t move until the returner catches the ball. This is to prevent collisions. Wonder if the NFL would adopt,” they wrote.
Here’s how it works. Ten players from each team lineup 5 yards apart at the 30- and 35-yard line on the kick receiving side. Those players cannot move until the receiver catches the ball. The rule is designed to create more exciting, and longer, kick returns. If the kick does not make it to the 20-yard line in the air, then the receiving team automatically gets the ball on its opponent’s 45-yard line. That happened near the end of the first half of the Dragons-Defenders game Saturday, and the Defenders kicker who got interviewed earlier for a miss got redemption with a 55-yard field goal as the half expired.
Here are more tweets throughout the day.
